Travel Ideas for Erie, Pennsylvania

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Erie, Pennsylvania, is on the southern edge of Lake Erie and roughly midway between Buffalo, New York, and Cleveland, Ohio. Erie had a population of 101,786 at the time of the 2010 Census, nearly 2 percent less than the city's population in the 2000 Census. Erie might not be commonly viewed as a tourist hub, but if you're planning a trip to the area, the city contains a number of appealing attractions.

Presque Isle State Park

Presque Isle State Park (presqueisle.org) is on a peninsula off the coast of Erie, and surrounded by the waters of Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes. The park contains a wealth of attractions ideal for tourists, including swimming and sunbathing along the 11 miles of beaches, flying a kite in the park's vast open spaces, biking, jogging or in-line skating on a 13-mile trail or enjoying live music in the park's bandstand. Tourists can also enjoy a hot dog at Sara's, an Erie tradition that represents the start of summer.

Erie Zoo

If you're visiting Erie with children, a stop at the Erie Zoo (eriezoo.org) will entertain them for hours. The zoo is home to more than 400 animals, including penguins, lions, leopards, otters, giraffes, bears, monkeys and rhinoceroses. Although the animals are the zoo's main attraction, the grounds also include a carousel, miniature train and botanical gardens.

Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park Resort

Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park Resort (splashlagoon.com) is an enormous recreation center that features a variety of fun activities for children and adults alike. The water park includes the largest indoor wave pool in the U.S., a lazy river and numerous water slides that vary in their degree of difficulty. Once you're done swimming, play a game of laser tag, check out the indoor ropes course or hang out in the Tiki-themed tree house.

Erie SeaWolves

Minor League Baseball's Erie SeaWolves (milb.com) play at Jerry Uht Park, a stadium in downtown Erie that opened in 1995. The SeaWolves are the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, and play 71 home games in a season that spans April to September. Many current Major League Baseball players suited up for Erie before making it to the Big Leagues, and taking in a game allows you to see the game's stars of tomorrow.

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About the Author

Toronto-based journalist William McCoy has been writing since 1997, specializing in topics such as sports, nutrition and health. He serves as the Studio's sports and recreation section expert. McCoy is a journalism graduate of Ryerson University.